A Mistaken $30,000 Uber Charge Ruined This Couple’s Holiday. Don’t Let It Happen to You

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A massive mistaken charge, frozen account, or stolen card can be a nightmare when you’re on vacation. Find out how to avoid money problems when you’re abroad. 

Dominique Adams and Douglas Ordonez made headlines this week after sharing their nightmare currency mix up on social media. “Uber charged me $29,994 for a single ride!” said Adams on TikTok. The ride should have cost 29,994 Costa Rican colon — around $55. Instead, the trip cost almost as much as a new car.

It took several days for Uber and Adams’ financial institution, Altura Credit Union, to resolve the hold on the money. In the meantime, the couple had limited cash available to cover their five-year anniversary trip.

Abroad without funds

According to Adams, she reached out to both the credit union and Uber. Her credit union said the payment went through because she’d put a travel notice on her card. “They basically told me that it was my fault because I put a travel notice on my card and because of that the charge was able to bypass all of the security measures, all of the policies that were in place with the bank,” she said.

Uber told Insider, “As soon as we received the user’s report, our support team promptly addressed the issue and released the authorization hold mistakenly applied due to a bank error in Dollars and not in Colones.” It added that it can take time for the refund to be processed.

Another issue? Adams had unintentionally used a debit card rather than a credit card to pay for the ride. Credit card payments generally provide more protection than debit cards against fraudulent transactions. “I always use my credit card for international charges. Unfortunately, I was rushing & didn’t realize my debit card was attached to my @Uber account,” she said.

Don’t let money issues ruin your vacation

Holidays are supposed to be fun. But being in another country without access to money can be extremely stressful. There are several ways a travel credit card can help. Many travel cards don’t charge foreign transaction fees and let you earn extra rewards on travel-related expenses. Plus, your card may come with additional benefits such as travel insurance and airport lounge access.

In addition to using a great travel credit card, there are a few ways you can ensure your vacations are free from money hassles. These include:

Use more than one credit card: A back-up credit card can make a world of difference when you’re traveling. If one card is stolen or gets frozen, you won’t have to stop your trip as you can use the other card for your vacation costs. Don’t carry both cards at the same time. Take some cash with you: It’s usually easy to withdraw or exchange money at the airport, but you never know. The ATM might be out of order or may not accept your card, and the exchange desk may not be open. Take a couple hundred dollars in cash, as well as some local currency if you’re able to. Alert your bank before you leave: Make sure your bank has your updated contact information and knows that you plan to travel. Otherwise your international transactions may trigger suspicious activity alerts, which can cause your card to be frozen. Check your bank’s travel policies: Find out what your card limits will be while you are traveling and ask whether you’ll be charged fees for foreign transactions. If you’re worried about the story above, set daily spending limits with your bank.Know what you’ll do if your cards get stolen: Write down the number of your bank accounts, debit and credit cards, and the contact information in case your card is lost or stolen. Your bank or card issuer may also have a number you can call if you need support on your trip.Get travel insurance: One of the perks of some credit cards is travel insurance that may cover you against flight delays, lost luggage, or theft. Find out what policies might apply to you, and decide if you need to pay for additional insurance.

Personally, I’m also a big fan of traveler’s checks. They may be old fashioned, but they can be invaluable in case of emergencies. When you cash a traveler’s check, you need to sign and show your ID, making them less attractive to thieves. If they are stolen they can be quickly replaced, as long as you keep a record of the numbers.

Bottom line

Credit cards go a long way, and they offer more protection with every passing year. But a mix of cash, cards, and even travelers’ checks can mean you’re not reliant on any one spending route. If you get stung by a mistaken or fraudulent charge, whether it’s $3 or $30,000, you’ll have time to resolve it. That means you can continue your vacation while your bank or credit card issuer sorts out the problem.

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The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Emma Newbery has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Uber Technologies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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